Douz – Gateway to the Desert

Lying on the northeastern edge of the Grand Erg Oriental, the town of Douz is often called the gateway to the desert. Amongst all the sand, it was amazing to think that the largest of all the Tunisian desert oases, with more than 400,000 palm trees, produced so many of the prized deglat ennour dates and a variety of other fruits and vegetables. Here, we joined other tourists as we headed towards a large herd of camels waiting for riders to go for a trek 30 minutes or longer. Already riding a camel once before in Timbuktu, I knew what to expect as the camel began its awkward move to a standing position. For others including my parents, this was their first time. All were fascinated by the strange sounds that some of the camels made, as well as the subsequent sight of the camel’s long tongue quivering out of the side of its mouth. I later learned that this behavior is part of mating - showing off to potential mates. It is amazing to think that a camel can go for around 3 months in the winter with no water and 15 days in summer. Many of the camels were tied together with a second camel, enabling the camel guide to lead two at once. Not only did I have a solo camel, I also had the most interesting guide. A short man (not even up to my shoulders) with tanned, aged skin and a short white moustache, a khaki green strip of lightweight cloth was tied to form a loose hood and a tan loose-fitting garment ended slightly above his sandaled feet. Carrying a walking stick, he quietly walked slightly ahead of the camel, every once in a while gently adjusting the ropes around the camel’s face. Occasionally he would balance the stick over his shoulders in a relaxed pose.

In a virtual parking lot of sand, camels await their next customer for a stroll through the dunes around Douz

The undulating sea of white sand is broken up by the occasional palm tree

The Douz market offers a variety of goods for the discerning shopper

Journey into the Grand Erg Oriental

After visiting the Berber cliffside village of Chenini, we traded our tour bus for four-wheel drives. To make the load as light as possible, each vehicle (1-2 teachers, 4-5 students and the driver) were allowed to take along a small duffel bag and sleeping bag. Other essential items included a few liters of water per person, snacks, sunscreen, flashlight, toilet paper, and for the teens - a walkman. Having already traveled in the desert, I made sure I had a wide-brimmed hat, light-weight long sleeved blouse, sunscreen, and a good pair of shoes.

Ksar Ghilane

Nearing our first destination, the paved road made way to drifts of sand. Following the tracks of other 4WD's we reached the entrance to the small oasis. Costumed Tuareg riders on top of their equally decorated horses eagerly anticipated potential riding customers. We also saw a few signs for camel rides, but were told to hold off as we would get our opportunity in Douz. After we put our things in our respective tents (mattresses and blankets were provided), many of us walked back through the oasis to the swimming hole fed by thermal springs. The temperature of bathwater, it was relaxing to wade in the water. Knowing that we should be back to the encampment by sundown, we reluctantly got out of the water. Upon arrival at the encampment, we saw many more 4WD vehicles from different tour companies. It would be a full camp.

The next morning we visited the remnants of a Roman fortress. Although it was only 2 km from the oasis, the amount of vegetation was very sparse. By the time we returned to the encampment, most of the other tour vehicles had left. Purchasing another bottle or two of water, we headed back into our vehicles and headed away from the oasis and into the dunes. Shortly into our journey, we heard a terrible thud, as if we had driven over something large. Indeed we had. Our front fender had fallen off. After inspecting to make sure that nothing else had been damaged, our driver tied on the fender to the luggage rack and we proceeded onward.

Remnants of a Roman fortress lie 2 km from the small oasis of Ksar Ghilane where we swam in the hot springs and had our last shower for a few days

Although crude, this palm-frond "toilet" offered more privacy than what we would see in the next days as we camped in the vegetation-void sand dunes.

Knowing that it would take several hours of steady traveling, we stopped for breaks several times. While at first shy about the lack of bathroom facilities, students soon understood that their best bet would be to find a high sand dune. Breaks also enabled us to walk around stretching our legs and bottoms after traveling over the bumpy terrain.

At times we did not see any tracks or signs of a road. We already had traveled longer than expected, and we still were not to our destination. The sand dunes became so high and unstable that the drivers asked us to get out of the vehicle and walk, hoping to prevent getting stuck. One of the teachers, when pulling out her GPS system device, confirmed what we had surmised- we were off-course. Several hours later, we finally located the camp that had been set up for us. By then, it was late afternoon. Taking advantage of the remaining sunlight, we set up our sleeping bags and other essentials. Students took off their footwear and began playing in the giant sandbox. A few began exploring, finding pieces of shaped flint and what appeared to be petrified ostrich egg shells pieces. Walking a short distance, I observed my surroundings, with the only sound being that of the shifting sands. As the sun began to set, the colors of the sand grew warmer.

In the depths of the Sahara, the shifting sands form an endless golden sea

The camp workers were busy preparing food for the hungry crew. Fresh unleavened bread was rolled out like pizza dough on a white sheet and thrown up into the air. It then was placed onto hot coals and covered with ash. After about 20 minutes, the baked bread was removed and patted with a towel to remove remnants of ash. Quite hungry, the bread was quickly devoured by the gang.

With the sun now set, we went into a large tent for supper, prepared by the camp workers. Sitting at the back end of the tent, I peeked out and admired the number and intensity of the star-filled sky. Near the end of our meal, I suddenly noticed a light-colored scorpion wandering away from me and towards a few teachers. Staying calm, I announced its presence to those teachers. Although it was quietly and promptly squashed with a cup, the entire tent occupants quickly heard of the wandering scorpion. Many students quickly grew worried, wondering if they would make it back to their tents in their bare feet or go to the bathroom when scorpions were present.

After baking for 20 minutes underneath hot coals and ash, the tasty bread is patted to remove the ash.

The next morning, we awoke to a film of sand over everything - our sleeping bags, hair, face, etc. It had been windy last night and the sands easily penetrated our tent. Washing up my face with a bit of water, I then went to have breakfast prepared for us. Loading everything into our vehicle once again, we began driving to our next destination - an area known for its fossilized shells and red sea coral. Heading up the escarpment, I found many pieces of red sea coral, shells imbedded in rock, and fragile purple flowers. One student lifted up a rock and found a scorpion resting during the heat of the day. Looking around, it was strange to imagine that this area was once covered by a sea. Now, water was not to be found, only tiny hardy vegetation was present, along with some camels down below. My ziploc bag now contained some good samples of coral, shaped flint, a petrified sea shell, ostrich shell pieces, and some special rocks. After sharing our finds, we squished into our respective vehicles and proceeded onward, headed towards Douz. There, we took a welcome shower, went swimming in the hotel swimming pool, and relaxed.

Later that afternoon we took our promised camel ride. Donned in traditional robes and our heads wrapped in a turban, we mounted our camels and headed out for our hour-long adventure. This time, the camels were quiet, aside from the occasional groaning. Nearing sunset, the shadows became long and the warm colors emerged. It had been a long day.

Camels graze for sparse vegetation in an area once covered by the sea

As the drivers contemplate which direction to take, we took the opportunity to stretch our legs

Sand fences formed from palm fronds have been erected to help stop the growth of the desert. Desertification remains a deep concern.

Related Pages

Tozeur - oasis city famous for its decorative brickwork, featured in The English Patient

Mountain Oases of Tamerza and Chebika

The Chott El Jerid - great salt lake

Matmata and Tamezret - Berber villages and region for Star Wars filming

Tatouine and Chenini - Star Wars filming site